File Pic: Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni (TOI Photo)
NEW DELHI: Long before he became one of India’s most successful captains, MS Dhoni was already being quietly tracked by Sourav Ganguly, who has now revealed how the wicketkeeper-batter was pushed quickly through the system after impressing the then India captain.Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Ganguly said Dhoni’s rise was not accidental. The former skipper personally travelled to Jamshedpur to watch him during domestic cricket before the final selection call was made.Ganguly watched Dhoni before selectionGanguly revealed that he delayed the decision on Dhoni’s inclusion until he could assess him himself. “I had to see him before taking the final call. So, stalled that decision for a few days,” he said.The visit convinced him. “We watch full matches. When Dhoni used to play, I had gone to Jamshedpur to watch him. He did not even know,” Ganguly added, recalling how closely the management monitored emerging talent.The former captain also credited ex-selector Saba Karim for first highlighting Dhoni’s power-hitting. “Saba Karim told me, ‘He hits a lot of sixes.’ So we picked him straight from there for India A. He played his first match at Wankhede Stadium in my team. He made a hundred and was hitting sixes to the roof,” Ganguly said.‘Whoever is good has to be fast-tracked’That India A innings removed any remaining doubt. Ganguly said the management believed exceptional players should not be held back in the system.“We had to take him. Whoever is good has to be fast-tracked. You cannot leave him. If you keep cooking him slowly from behind, he will finish,” Ganguly said, explaining the philosophy that shaped India’s transition during his captaincy.Dhoni’s ODI debut came against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2004 and ended in disappointment when he was run out for a duck. But Ganguly stayed convinced. Months later, he promoted Dhoni to No. 3 against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam. Dhoni smashed 148 off 123 balls, announcing himself on the international stage.Ganguly said the principle was simple: “If you play with people above your level, your game will rise. If you play below, your game will go down.”That belief helped shape the careers of players like Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag — and most notably, Dhoni.
